But the Greatest of These is Love

After a week in the ICM office we have really gotten a good feel for Indian methodology in the office, and the attitude of the culture in general. During orientation, James made a comment that startled me a little bit. He said to us, “I have to run a tight ship here, if someone does not show up for work, they do not get paid. People need to work in the office, they can’t just work from their office at home.” I thought to my self: DUH! Isn’t that how its supposed to be? I brushed it off, amused that he felt he had to make that statement and forgot about it.

I have held a steady job for as long as I can remember. When I was 14 (which was the minimum age you could work in NC) I started working for the Taekwondo school I was attending.  Following that, I took a job at Trader Joe’s and remained there all through high school.  After my time at Joe’s was done I hopped around the church working in different places of ministries, and finally took a position at the YMCA where I remained until the day before coming to India. So you could say I am pretty well educated on work place ethic and behavior, and showing up to work was always right there on the top of the employer expectations. In fact, usually it was an unspoken assumption that if you didn’t show up to work you would probably be terminated.  None the less, perhaps James felt he had to say that since he doesn’t know us and he doesn’t know how we act in the work place.  Clearly he thought it was a necessary bit of information to cover.

I learned later that this work ethics detail was actually a necessity.  One of the American’s that is also working with ICM, later confided that what we may have assumed about the nature of our obligation to the work place was not shared by my fellow Indian co workers.  They won’t call, they won’t think up an excuse; they will just not show up. And from what I understand, the boss is lucky if it’s only for one day!! It is not uncommon for an Indian to be absent from work for days at a time, or for the week, or even two weeks!! And, it is completely acceptable. No one gets fired and no one even gets reprimanded. They might be questioned as to where they were, but that’s the extent of the interrogation. This is crazy to me! Comical even. How can you just not show up? What about responsibilities? What about your coworkers?

Reflecting back at former places of occupation, I considered this; At Trader Joe’s, if one person did not show up we had to rewrite the entire schedule for the day! One person could throw off a schedule for 50 people!! If someone didn’t show up to work at a day care we had to call in a whole new person! And if I didn’t show up to the YMCA one day the whole day would have been thrown off.  There would be no office person to make sure the headcounts were right, to check children out, or to make sure the right kids showed up that day. My point is: at any job I’ve had if someone didn’t show up because they didn’t feel like it, it would create chaos and frustration for the other team members. However, in India, it does no such thing (from what I have experienced).If you don’t show up, work that you were supposed to do just doesn’t get done. If someone else was relying on your work to get done and they can’t do it because you’re not there, they’ll probably go home too.

Initially, I found this both surprising and comical.  But after awhile it made me a little angry.  In most places in America this attitude would be scorned.  We pride ourselves on progress and are frustrated by anything or person that gets in the way or slows it down.  We aggressively pursue solutions to our problems and failure to step up gives you the reputation of being lazy or apathetic.  I know we are imperfect but it is very difficult for me to wrap my brain around a culture that seems to lack the same drive.  When you begin to realize the difference of objectives, you can’t help but be disheartened by how much of this affects the rest of their country. You begin to understand the trash piles on the ground and the huge landfills right on the side of the road. You start to understand the poverty and the beggars on every corner.  Suddenly, the half completed buildings, the unfinished roads, the power outages every 2 hours, the dirty water, and the extreme lack of organization all makes more sense.

I am finding a lot of frustration in this. Previously, I didn’t cast blame on the cause of the imperfections of this country; the trash, the constant chaos, the disorganization. It made me sad to see it all and it made me wonder if there was a solution to the problem and ask if progress was an option. It is sobering and disheartening to consider that the culture so strongly contributes to the problem.  So, I have to ask; if the motivation in the people was there, could their problems be solved?  While I still have so much to learn about this culture I have not seen yet that the motivation is there. They have accepted their own defeat and have settled into this chaos!

I can’t help but wonder how much the cast system still plays into this. The attitude for centuries has been that you can’t move up from what you were born into. If you were born into a lower class, that’s where you will stay, and where your children and your grandchildren will be. Perhaps this apparent lack of motivation is an echo of that belief system.  They were born into this place in its harrowing and they were also born to only know how to accept their lot in life. There are very few who are here to teach them that they can be the solution to the mess that they’re in and that there is hope beyond the trash heaps.

The saddest thing to me is seeing the million and millions of dollars that go into the construction of their temples. They are definitely beautiful and they are everywhere. The colors are fantastic and truly the entire building is a piece of art. If only they put less money into their idols that can give nothing back to them. If only that money was put into a trash system, or into a water system that could provide clean water. Wouldn’t that be more beneficial to the people? What if the effort people made to create sanctuaries for their fake God’s was actually used to make their own homes and villages a sanctuary to meet their basic needs?    

Eric and his wife Tisra are here from America working in Sarah’s Covenant Homes, more commonly known as SCH, in the homes for the disabled children. He had such an excellent point. From the time this country was established it has been trying to prove something to the rest of the world. At first it was to prove to England that we were our own country. Then when we became our own country it was to prove that we were necessary, and that we were a force to be reckoned with. America wasn’t going to fail because the people had much too much determination to let it fail. We came from generations of determined people that wanted more than anything to succeed. When England took over India they initially befriended the people here. They became their friends, and then one day they just took over. When England left India they didn’t leave motivated people they left confused people. They left a government in the same shambles that it started with. The motivation to be its own country wasn’t there.

I believe our own countries success in contrast to India is based on our faith.  Our Declaration of Independence begins by saying, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." And as a people and a government we endeavor to uphold this.  We strive to combat apathy in our own country as well as in other nations.  The bible has lots to say about laziness.  In fact laziness (or sloth, which is apathy) is considered one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and the God treats laziness as any other sin. The bible says that a man who is lazy simply will go hungry. (“Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer from hunger.” Proverbs 19:15) God did not create us to be lazy. He is not our babysitter and nor will he allow us to lay back and do nothing and yet provide for us. God says in the bible that we need to trust in him and he will provide for us, but that does not give us the excuse to do nothing. I think what God is trying to tell us is that if we trust him enough to sacrifice our comfort for Him, He will not let us go hungry or grow weary. This does not mean sit back and watch TV, have fun and party, and not work because you don’t feel like it because you are trusting God to provide. (“For even when we were with you, we would not give this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10). Perhaps this country missed out on what the bible has to offer about the fruit of apathy. We can’t deny that our heritage was rooted in Christianity, and our ancestors were a lot of really hardworking people. This is apparent when you look at our American history.  We are privileged to have such a solid foundation and should never take that for granted or rest in it.  Ultimately, we should follow the example of our forefathers and remain hard working.

The same spirit that our nation was founded on confirms for me the need for the gospel in India. This is a solution.  The knowledge that you are deeply loved by the God who created you and values your life is defense against sloth (apathy). This truth can be the motivation to pick their country up of its feet and experience the greatest gift of life that God has given them!! I thought this was significant to share.  It isn’t complaint, but an attempt to reiterate how much we, as Christians, are needed. We have something great to offer these people in the realization of God’s word.

In turn, countries like India should inspire us. We can’t be lazy with our faith. We need to get up and utilize the gifts that God has given us! This doesn’t mean that we all have to GO to India or even focus our attention solely on India. But as Christians we need to put the work ethic that most of us have and put it towards our faith. What if we put as much effort into our faith and spreading love as we did at work to make money? What if we were paid by how many people loved or helped a day, or by how many times we thanked God for everything He has blessed us with? Would we all be pretty poor?  I realized that I could be pretty poor.  He gave us a sense of a work ethic so we could provide for ourselves and get necessary work done, but also so that we would not be lazy and sit around and let our gifts go to waste! Don’t be a lazy Christian and let your “trash” pile build up or your “water” go bad. Utilize the blessings we have and share what God has done for you!! We can’t pride ourselves on being productive or progressive if we neglect what God has created us to do!!  After all, without love, I am nothing (I Cor. 13:2)

  

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” Proverbs 13:4

“Whatever you do, work heartily…” Colossians 3:23

Sending Love Your way!!

Grace

The fun new Punjabi I got today :)